Sophomore Skyler Bishuk enjoyed an eventful first Field Period® internship this past summer at the Auburn Community Hospital.
The Nursing major explored numerous departments in the hospital, was hired part time after her Field Period hours were completed, and – oh yeah – helped save a life.
“I was on the ICU floor during orientation,” Skyler recalled. “I was with a patient care assistant and suddenly a patient flatlined. We had to do compressions and everything.”
Unlike her time in the hospital’s operating room or emergency departments, where her participation was mostly limited to observing, Skyler was very much hands-on in resuscitating the patient.
“We got him back – it was a great experience,” she said. “And then after, the physician assistant and the respiratory therapist came up to me and said, ‘Your compressions were amazing. You really got that guy back.’”
Skyler related the story in a calm demeanor that will no doubt serve her well in her career as a professional nurse. That career direction was reinforced following her weeks at Cayuga County’s sole acute and general care hospital.
“I want to become a family nurse practitioner and then hopefully a surgical first assistant (SFA), which is when I can assist the lead surgeon in the operating room,” she said. She’s already planning on post-graduate studies to obtain the necessary credentials.
“This Field Period really helped me find where I see myself fitting in the most,” Skyler said. “I ended up liking everything about the profession.”
She also developed some of the soft skills that make for success in the healthcare industry.
“I really learned how to be a professional in the nursing field and the ways to present myself that will help me with patients and patients’ families. That was my main takeaway.”
Her interest in nursing stems from a longstanding desire to help others, she said.
“I chose nursing because it’s so empathetic,” Skyler said. “I really want to be there for that person in crisis and help them navigate that situation.”
The Nursing program was part of what attracted Skyler to Keuka College, which she visited frequently when an older brother was a student in the early 2020s. Throw in the lakeside campus and her ability to play lacrosse and field hockey and the choice was easy, she said.
Aside from athletics, Skyler spends plenty of time on her studies and has begun to think about her junior year Field Period.
“By then, I'll be a nurse extern,” she said, “so my next Field Period will be even more hands-on.”
As she proved in the ICU of the Auburn Community Hospital, Skyler will be ready.
